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my first yoga experience was 10.5 years ago. i went for the "breathing" techniques. i had just quit smoking and felt like i was always holding my breath, i was.lol anyway, i THOUGHT i was flexible! i was SO wrong.....i had alot to learn. i am still learning & loving it. i am also still SMOKE FREE!!

so my GRATITUDE for today is that. THANK GOD I AM SMOKE FREE!! 2 months short of 11 years!!

my first yoga experience was 10.5 years ago. i went for the "breathing" techniques. i had just quit smoking and felt like i was always holding my breath, i was.lol anyway, i THOUGHT i was flexible! i was SO wrong.....i had alot to learn. i am still learning & loving it. i am also still SMOKE FREE!!

so my GRATITUDE for today is that. THANK GOD I AM SMOKE FREE!! 2 months short of 11 years!!

WAIT!!!

SHHH....I think I hear something...

Your lungs just said THANK YOU!!! They still appreciate that you gave that up after all these years.

Battles Not Fought

My oldest son, Micah, was none to happy to go to school yesterday. You see, we had battened down the hatches at our house.

When Katrina and Rita came through, we were just close enough to receive some monstrous storms that left us a few days without electricity. And no flashlights. No radios. No…well, you get the picture.

But this time we were prepared.

Flashlights, candles, battery operated radio, and even an old-fashioned kerosene lamp were at the ready.

So with the wide-eyed wonder of any pubescent boy, he went to bed anticipating the cancellation of school. And it was with great sadness that he woke up to my overly perky voice chiming “Good Morning.!”

“That was stupid,” he groggily replied.

Stupid of course, being what he deemed the unnecessary preparedness of the night before.

But don’t we all do this?

We go to work with our coats, but the cold front isn’t as cold as predicted. And we gripe.

We go to a party with a snappy comeback on the ready for someone we knew would be there, but to our dismay they are nice to us. How dare they?

We walk into work with our umbrella, and bemoan that we were prepared, but it did not rain.

We pack our lunch and a friend showed up to take us out, their treat. And isn’t that just aggravating?

My favorite is when somebody fusses over no lines at the grocery store. You’ve heard it. You know what I’m talking about, “I went in to get my groceries thinking there would be a line. Walked right in and out. Tomorrow must be when they put out the fresh produce. I bet my bananas are ruined by the morning”

You know what I say when I can walk right in and out like that? I’ll call my friend Kerry and say, “Girl, you know what? They knew I was coming again! It’s like I’m the princess of this store. They cleared out the store so I could shop on my own again.”

If it was supposed to rain and didn’t? That’s my opportunity to leave my umbrella at work. I need one there anyway! Don’t you?

Cardio isn’t wearing me down like I think it should? That means I can get another mile or maybe even two in.

If you prepared for a battle that just didn’t happen, enjoy it.

Rejoice in it.

Let it thrill your very soul!

Don’t spend your time wondering why good things happen. Does this even sound like it makes sense?

When I learned to recognize the smallest of blessings and good fortunes in my day to day life, I began to realize my life was a lot more blessed than I even knew.

By all means, be prepared today. Just don’t get bent out of shape if nothing bad happens!

Like Attracts Like

So, I was thinking about a comment our little miss girlymuscle left for me yesterday about “like attracting like.”

Specifically, I was thinking about this phrase and how it applies to me.

You see it all the time. It starts way back in elementary school. Clicks emerge from common bonds. Even if that common bond is as simple as being on the same bus, wearing the samae clothes, or being in the same homeroom.

These days, I tend to spend the most time with my gym buddies. And yeah…that follows form with like attracts like.

When I was heavy, I tended to stay with the heavy people. And…OK…I’m a girl. I liked it when my friends were bigger than me. I won’t lie! But again, like with like.

I remember being on a plane once. More than twenty years ago. It was a college trip to Europe. There was this one tiny little thing who was part of the group. Wanting to be that size so badly, I decided to watch her. In my mind, I just knew she could not possibly be eating that much less than me.

But boy was I wrong. I don’t know how that little squirt survived on what she ate.

And here’s what I took from that trip: Tana was eating to live and I was living to eat.

Tana could not be bothered with eating when there were things to do, places to go, or people to see. While I was planning every outing around which destination had the best food available.

And even though I wanted what Tana had…I lived under the like attracts like principle. I stayed with my people. I wanted to be like Tana, but not badly enough to leave the safety of my like/like shelter.

But there came a time along the way, that even though I didn’t like it, and it was scary, I had to go against the grain. I had to go to the gym even though none of my friends were going. I had to order salads while they ate fries. I had to go to bed while they went out, so I could be rested for the gym.

You see, that group I spent all my time with, because we were all like each other…they didn’t want to be any other way. But I did. I wanted to be a Tana.

I had to go to the place that had the people I wanted to be like. And I had to keep going until I became the person I envisioned in my mind.

And everything changed, because I did it long enough. I went in to that gym against the grain…and became part of the grain.

At least, that’s what I think the gym manager meant when he said I was part of the wood work!?!?!

Not where you want to be yet? Maybe you need to go find your different.

So, I was thinking about a comment our little miss girlymuscle left for me yesterday about “like attracting like.”

Specifically, I was thinking about this phrase and how it applies to me.

You see it all the time. It starts way back in elementary school. Clicks emerge from common bonds. Even if that common bond is as simple as being on the same bus, wearing the samae clothes, or being in the same homeroom.

These days, I tend to spend the most time with my gym buddies. And yeah…that follows form with like attracts like.

When I was heavy, I tended to stay with the heavy people. And…OK…I’m a girl. I liked it when my friends were bigger than me. I won’t lie! But again, like with like.

I remember being on a plane once. More than twenty years ago. It was a college trip to Europe. There was this one tiny little thing who was part of the group. Wanting to be that size so badly, I decided to watch her. In my mind, I just knew she could not possibly be eating that much less than me.

But boy was I wrong. I don’t know how that little squirt survived on what she ate.

And here’s what I took from that trip: Tana was eating to live and I was living to eat.

Tana could not be bothered with eating when there were things to do, places to go, or people to see. While I was planning every outing around which destination had the best food available.

And even though I wanted what Tana had…I lived under the like attracts like principle. I stayed with my people. I wanted to be like Tana, but not badly enough to leave the safety of my like/like shelter.

But there came a time along the way, that even though I didn’t like it, and it was scary, I had to go against the grain. I had to go to the gym even though none of my friends were going. I had to order salads while they ate fries. I had to go to bed while they went out, so I could be rested for the gym.

You see, that group I spent all my time with, because we were all like each other…they didn’t want to be any other way. But I did. I wanted to be a Tana.

I had to go to the place that had the people I wanted to be like. And I had to keep going until I became the person I envisioned in my mind.

And everything changed, because I did it long enough. I went in to that gym against the grain…and became part of the grain.

At least, that’s what I think the gym manager meant when he said I was part of the wood work!?!?!

Not where you want to be yet? Maybe you need to go find your different.

Adina, have you found that due to your lifestyle change that you have drifted away from these group of friends? I ask because obviously you have different interests now!

It's more like a slow drifting apart. BUT...one by one, when they see I'm keeping my weight off, they're coming to my side! And that makes me VERY happy! I miss my people!

Yeah I thought that would happen Adina! But if your new lifestyle can motivate your friends to make changes in theirs, then thats a very positive thing! Since I have been prepping for my upcoming comp, I have found that I haven't seen some of my friends....just been too busy with the extra cardio sessions and in the evenings I just want to relax by watching a movie at home or by coming to MD. Today I made the effort to catch up with a friend whom I haven't spent time with for weeks and it was really good actually!

inspiring roll model

Your a very inspiring roll model..especially for those who think it cant be done...a true success story..God bless every thing you stand for..Unselfishly sharing your success doesn't go unnoticed...I'm surprised your story hasn't been published or has it?

Yeah I thought that would happen Adina! But if your new lifestyle can motivate your friends to make changes in theirs, then thats a very positive thing! Since I have been prepping for my upcoming comp, I have found that I haven't seen some of my friends....just been too busy with the extra cardio sessions and in the evenings I just want to relax by watching a movie at home or by coming to MD. Today I made the effort to catch up with a friend whom I haven't spent time with for weeks and it was really good actually!

Very good! We never do regret time with friends, past or present do we?

Your a very inspiring roll model..especially for those who think it cant be done...a true success story..God bless every thing you stand for..Unselfishly sharing your success doesn't go unnoticed...I'm surprised your story hasn't been published or has it?

Look at you!! You look fantastic!!! WOW!

As far as me....THANK YOU!

I was the December success story of the month for FitnessRX for Women.

I am about 176 pages deep into a book I am writing and hope to get published.

Most people think the neatest thing I have done was appear on The Today Show...I did that about a month ago.

Telling people and writing about how to help people lose weight and achieve their goals in truly the passion of my heart...so thank you for your encouragement.

Call Your Friend

I was reminded of something yesterday by two different people on two different websites.

Twice yesterday I was asked about relationships with friends after losing the weight or going to the gym so often.

And here’s my take on it…

Where ever you started, be that as someone who needed to lose fat, gain muscle, or get in shape, we all have one thing in common: we all started out as a person who did not go to the gym and eat healthy and turned into someone who did.

WE are the ones who changed.

We used to be the “fun” ones. The ones who would eat out all the time.

The ones who would go to the movies and eat buttered popcorn and drink real coke. REAL. Not the diet stuff.

We used to eat with reckless abandon. We didn’t scour labels. We didn’t speak in terms of macros. We spoke in terms of macaroni.

You hear people all the time give out this piece of advice, “Don’t marry someone thinking they will change. People don’t change.”

Bur…WE did.

We started out unhealthy and became fabulous.

We are the ones who left our friends thinking, “What happened?”

They liked us and accepted us just as we are. And we have to remember that.

I have to keep in mind that my best girlfriend lost a big chunk of her life when I found mine. She didn’t use to worry about what she ate around me. She didn’t have to think about not going to the gym. Health and fitness were not a part of who WE were. Now it is inseparable from US, because it is MY driving force.

She is lonely for the person I used to be…while still proud at the same time. She does love me after all. Without a doubt I know this.

Today might be a good day to contact an old friend and let them know that even though you aren’t around anymore, you still love them and you’re still there for them.

They just don’t have to know that you’re calling them from the gym, between sets, while sipping from your protein shake!